Trademark registration in the United Kingdom

Costs, market data and law firms for the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom: registering a trademark costs an estimated US$654 for one class, plus US$180 for each further class. The United Kingdom is a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark can be filed with its office directly or extended to the United Kingdom through an international registration. The United Kingdom is a leading import market for wines and spirits (class 33) and carpets and mats (class 27). It is also one of the world's leading exporters of wines and spirits (class 33) and machines (class 7).

Population69.5m
Economy (GDP)US$4,003bn
Trademark classes filed by foreign applicants (2024)159,456
Madrid System memberYes

Figures by trademark class count branded goods only: raw commodities that are traded mostly without brands - such as gold bars, fuel, bulk chemicals, grain and fabric by the metre - are left out. Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates are left out of the rankings, as much of their trade is re-exported.

Where United Kingdom is a leading market

  • #1 in Europe and Central Asia and #2 in the world for class 33 (Wines and spirits) - US$6.3bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 27 (Carpets and mats) - US$1.1bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 28 (Games, toys and sports goods) - US$6.9bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 29 (Meat, dairy and preserved foods) - US$14.5bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 30 (Coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery) - US$12.2bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 32 (Beer and soft drinks) - US$2.0bn of imports

A leading exporter

  • #3 in the world for class 33 (Wines and spirits) - US$9.4bn of exports (12% of the world's)
  • #6 in the world for class 7 (Machines) - US$74.6bn of exports (4% of the world's)
  • #7 in the world for class 1 (Chemicals) - US$4.6bn of exports (4% of the world's)
  • #7 in the world for class 16 (Paper and printed matter) - US$3.9bn of exports (4% of the world's)
  • #9 in the world for class 2 (Paints) - US$2.2bn of exports (4% of the world's)
  • #10 in the world for class 5 (Pharmaceuticals) - US$26.5bn of exports (3% of the world's)
  • #2 in the world for aircraft parts - US$12.9bn of exports (13% of the world's)
  • #2 in the world for paintings - US$2.5bn of exports (14% of the world's)
  • #2 in the world for navigation instruments - US$921m of exports (11% of the world's)
  • #3 in the world for iron and steel scrap - US$3.4bn of exports (8% of the world's)
  • #3 in the world for fresh fish - US$1.5bn of exports (6% of the world's)
  • #3 in the world for shaving and toiletry products - US$1.2bn of exports (8% of the world's)

Fastest-growing markets

  • Class 34 (Tobacco and smokers' articles): imports up 24% a year
  • Class 30 (Coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery): imports up 11% a year
  • Class 12 (Vehicles): imports up 9% a year
United Kingdom: the biggest import markets by trademark class (2024, US$m)
United Kingdom's share of Europe and Central Asia's imports, by trademark class (%)
United Kingdom: import growth by trademark class (2022-2024, % a year)
United Kingdom: share of world exports by trademark class (2024, %)

In colour: goods where United Kingdom is among the world's 10 largest exporters, or has at least 5% of world exports. In grey, for comparison: its next-largest shares.

United Kingdom: export growth by trademark class (2022-2024, % a year)
United Kingdom: its other leading and key exports (2024, US$m)

Goods where United Kingdom is among the world's 3 largest exporters, has at least 15% of world exports, or that make up at least 25% of its own exports - of at least US$500m a year.

Questions about trademarks in the United Kingdom

How much does it cost to register a trademark in the United Kingdom?

Our estimate is about US$654 for one class, from filing to registration: about US$272 in official fees and about US$382 in professional (law firm) fees. Each further class adds about US$180. Responses to office actions and oppositions are not included. These are estimates only: the actual cost depends on the law firm and the application. Request a quote from a law firm on this site for an exact price.

Can I use the Madrid System for the United Kingdom?

The United Kingdom is a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark can be filed with its office directly or extended to the United Kingdom through an international registration. WIPO's fee to designate the United Kingdom is CHF 240 for one class (about US$288) and CHF 304 for two classes, on top of WIPO's basic fee for the international application.

For which goods is the United Kingdom an important market?

The United Kingdom's 10 largest import markets by trademark class are vehicles (class 12, US$85.7bn), electronics and software (class 9, US$83.1bn), machines (class 7, US$57.5bn), pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$28.4bn), clothing, footwear and headwear (class 25, US$25.9bn), meat, dairy and preserved foods (class 29, US$14.5bn), furniture (class 20, US$13.0bn), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (class 30, US$12.2bn), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$11.2bn) and medical apparatus (class 10, US$9.9bn). Within its region, it stands out for wines and spirits (#1 in Europe and Central Asia), carpets and mats (#2 in Europe and Central Asia), games, toys and sports goods (#2 in Europe and Central Asia), meat, dairy and preserved foods (#2 in Europe and Central Asia), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (#2 in Europe and Central Asia) and beer and soft drinks (#2 in Europe and Central Asia). Imports are growing fastest for tobacco and smokers' articles (24% a year), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (11% a year) and vehicles (9% a year). Foreign applicants filed 159,456 trademark classes in the United Kingdom in 2024 - #1 in Europe and Central Asia - a sign of how many brand owners already protect their marks there.

What does the United Kingdom export, and why does that matter for my trademark?

The United Kingdom's exports of goods came to US$423.7bn in 2024. Its 10 largest exports were cars (US$36.2bn, 9% of its exports, #9 in the world), jet engines and gas turbines (US$32.2bn, 8% of its exports, #2 in the world), packaged medicines (US$18.2bn, 4% of its exports, #10 in the world), crude oil (US$17.1bn, 4% of its exports, #19 in the world), gold (US$15.1bn, 4% of its exports, #8 in the world), aircraft parts (US$12.9bn, 3% of its exports, #2 in the world), refined petroleum products (US$11.9bn, 3% of its exports, #18 in the world), spirits (US$9.0bn, 2% of its exports, #1 in the world), vaccines, blood products and biologics (US$6.8bn, 2% of its exports, #12 in the world) and natural gas and LPG (US$5.7bn, 1% of its exports, #16 in the world). By trademark class, its 10 largest exports were machines (class 7, US$74.6bn, #6 in the world), vehicles (class 12, US$48.2bn, #11 in the world), electronics and software (class 9, US$32.0bn, #19 in the world), pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$26.5bn, #10 in the world), wines and spirits (class 33, US$9.4bn, #3 in the world), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$8.3bn, #11 in the world), medical apparatus (class 10, US$7.1bn, #11 in the world), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (class 30, US$5.9bn, #11 in the world), rubber and plastics (class 17, US$5.0bn, #12 in the world) and chemicals (class 1, US$4.6bn, #7 in the world). Where goods are made and exported, copies are often made too: a registered trademark there lets you act against counterfeits at the source, including with the help of customs.

Law firms for United Kingdom

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Trade: imports and exports of each trademark class's branded goods. Rankings compare countries' trade in those goods, without the re-export hubs. Costs are estimates.